The app is designed to provide police with videos and keep people and animals safe.

Over the past few months, I've been really impressed by the wide array of smartphone apps designed to prevent crime and keep people safe. This week, a crime-fighting smartphone app added services to report animal abuse to the Humane Society of the United States.

ICE BlackBox, a free app available for iPhones and Android phones, allows users to record potential crimes and send videos and location information to emergency contacts and law enforcement.

Once a video is recorded, it's uploaded to a server and can't be deleted from the phone, preventing users from being forced to delete the video under threat. The video can then be shared with emergency contacts (complete with a map showing your location) or used to report animal abuse.

"Animal Cruelty is a serious crime that is often associated with violence to people, and we are using the latest in technology to help catch animal abusers in the act," said John Thompson, executive director of the National Sheriffs' Association, a partner on the project. "We encourage everyone who has a smartphone and cares about protecting animals and our communities to download this new app."

The ICE BlackBox app has been around for just over a year and can be used to record anything from bullying to domestic violence. The company that created the app also offers a Neighborhood Watch program linked to the app.